Monday, July 04, 2005

Mon, July 4, 2005 - Memorial Sermon

Job 19:23-27a

Romans 8:31-35, 37-39

John 14:1-6a

Well, I have never met Bessie, but I can tell from the words that have been spoken this morning that she was a lovely person. With her hats and her love of singing, she sounds like she was quite unique. In a way, I miss her, even though I’ve never known her.

That feeling of missing somebody who has died is familiar to all of you, I’m sure. For some of you, enough time has passed that you miss Bessie fondly, with nostalgia, remembering all the good times you spent together. But for others of you, particularly close family and friends, the pain of missing Bessie is likely to still be strong. You may find yourself still struggling to deal with the reality of it, having to catch yourself when something happens and you think, "Oh, I must tell her this - she’ll want to know." And this is perfectly normal. Thinking that you caught a glimpse of a loved one who has died when you are out shopping, or thinking that you hear their voice in a crowd is a normal part of the grieving process. Even six months later, this is still an expected part of it. Whether you have reached the end of your mourning or are still fully immersed in it, you may be missing not only the times you have spent with Bessie, but you will also be missing the times that you looked forward to spending with her but that will now no longer take place.

One of the saddest things to adjust to in a time of death is realizing that we will never again in this lifetime see the person we love. We will not laugh or cry with them again. But we do have a certain hope that the earthly separation between us and them is not an eternal separation. It is not forever. You see, we are knit together as a community by God. All of us here today, and all of the people we love from the past, too, including Bessie, are gathered by God into one great community of love through Jesus Christ. In the reading I just read, we heard Jesus say, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. . . In my Father’s house there are many dwelling place... I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." I’ve been told that Bessie was a frequent visitor at the Manor, taking part in all of the events, but every night she had to go home again. But in God’s house, Bessie is not just a visitor, she is a welcome resident, with a place prepared specifically for her. And there are places for each one of us, specially prepared, built so that we can be together. You see, we have Jesus’ promise that God has arranged for us all to be gathered into God’s presence when we die, and what’s more, that Jesus Christ himself lovingly brings each one of us there, to be with God and to be with one another. We will, in fact, you and I, not miss Bessie forever, but one day in the arms of God, laugh and cry with her, and with all the people we love.

And there is nothing that can stop that from happening. In the reading from Romans the author Paul says that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." There is absolutely nothing that can stop Bessie from being gathered by Jesus into the loving presence of God, and there is absolutely nothing that can stop us from being gathered into God’s presence, where we will be reunited with Bessie and all the people we love. And that is because the power of God’s love, shown to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is strong enough to overcome pain and sickness and yes, even death. The power of God’s love is the strongest power that exists; it brings new life out of the darkness of death, it reunites families and friends, it brings us together with God, and there is absolutely nothing that can get in its way. You will one day be with Bessie again, in the presence of God.

"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him, with my own eyes - I, and not another." This confession of Job’s is our confession and Bessie’s as well. Despite death, we will see God, and so will Bessie, not because we have any power over life and death but because God does. And God has promised, through Jesus, that death is not the end for us. Rather, there is a place, a home, waiting for us and for Bessie, where laughter and joy and singing are constant, where sickness and death are not permitted, and where we will meet with all our loved ones, gathered in by the welcoming arms of God. It is true that you will continue to miss Bessie until that time, and to mourn that she is no longer with us, but you can trust God that you will not be separated forever, and that joy will one day return. And so may the peace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with you now and forever. Amen.

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